Staphylococcus aureus still colonizes the untreated neonatal umbilicus.

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Infectious disease prevention

Background:

• Umbilical cord care practices aim to prevent infections.
• Staphylococcus aureus is a common pathogen in neonatal infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of two neonatal umbilical cord treatment regimens.
• To evaluate the impact of topical antiseptics on Staphylococcus aureus colonization and cord separation.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study comparing two umbilical cord treatment protocols.
• Assessment of umbilical cord separation time and microbial colonization.

Main Results:

• Non-antiseptic treated cords separated faster (47% by day 7 vs. 26%).
• Higher Staphylococcus aureus colonization occurred in non-antiseptic treated cords (53% vs. 30%).

Conclusions:

• Topical antiseptic treatment (alcohol wipes, hexachlorophane powder) is effective in preventing Staphylococcus aureus colonization.
• Current recommendations to discontinue antiseptic cord treatment should be reconsidered due to infection risks.